Telephone-toll-line system.



P. A. LUNDQUIST. TELEPHONE TOLL LINE SYSTEM.

APPLIOATIOI nun 110114,

Patented D90. 22, 1914.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK A, LUNDQUIST, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

TELEPHONE-TOLL-LINE SYSTEM.

Application filed November 14. 1912.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANK A. LUNDQUIST. a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in T elephone-Toll-Line Systems, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description.

This invention relates to telephone toll line systems, and more particularly to systems wherein mechanism is located at a subscribers station for receiving coins of different denominations.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved system whereby the central office operator may be apprised of the denominations of the coins deposited.

To the above end a coin indicator and a controller, preferably electromagnetical1y operated, are provided, one at each of two stations connected by a telephone line. Preferably the indicator is under the common control of means individual to each of several coin chutes and the indicator and controller are preferably operated in synchronism by interrupting the line at the coin collecting station a definite number of times, dependent upon the denomination of the coins deposited. The indicator at the central oflice, responsive to the interruptions of the current, may be made to control a series of 1am signals whereby the operator is notilied the denomination of the coin deposited.

This invention will be fully understood from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which the invention is shown diagrammatically.

At the local or subscribers station A, in addition to the usual means for receiving and transmitting speech, which are omitted from the drawing for the sake of clearness, is located a coin collecting mechanism comprising a plurality of coin chutes 5, 6 and 7. Each chute is adapted to receive a coin of a particular denomination and convey it to the signal controlling mechanism. A plurality of spring tensioned levers 8, 9, 10 pivoted on a common shaft 11 have their free ends projectingintothevarious chutes; one lever for each'chute. Each chute is likewise provided at its upper end with a pin 12, be-

Speciflcetlon of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 22, 1914.

Serial No. 731,322.

tween which and the respective lever 8, 9 or 10, the coin is temporarily held to be re- 55 leased by the operator as hereinafter described. The levers 8, 9 and 10 are respectively provided with downwardly pro ccting pawls 13, 14 and 15. A ratchet wheel 20 carried by a rotatable shaft 21 has two sets of small teeth 22 and 23 on its periphery. It is also rovided with a deeper indentation 24 behind one of the teeth 22 into which the pawls 13, 14 and may be depressed provided the ratchet wheel is 6 sulliciently rotated. A spring connected at one end to the ratchet wheel 20 or the shaft 21, and at the other end to the frame of the mechanism, serves to return the ratchet wheel to its normal position after it has been displaced, as hereinafter described. When depressed by the weight of a coin the pawl of the corresponding lever is depressed into a position to engage the teeth 22 of the ratchet wheel 20. The pawls are so spaced relative to the teeth 22 that the pawl 13 is one tooth ahead of the pawl 14, and the pawl 14 is one tooth ahead of the pawl 15.

A bell crank lever pivoted to the shaft 11, but insulated therefrom by a suitable insulating bushing or other means well known in the art, is provided with two laterally projecting pins 31 and 32. The levers 8, 9 and 10 pass between the pin 31 and the pin The lower end of the bell crank lever is provided with a contact button 33 which is adapted to make contact with the buttons 34, 35 and 36 as the arm is rotated about the shaft 11. The button 33 on the lever 30, and the buttons 34, 35 and 36 compose essentially a three contact pivot switch. An elcctromagnet 40 is provided with an armature 41 carried by a lever 42, pivoted at 43. The lever 42 carries at its end opposite the armature 41, a spring pressed pawl44, which is adapted to en age the teeth 23 of the ratchet wheel 20 and thus impart rotary motion to the wheel 20, when the armature 41 is attracted by the magnet 40. The lever 10 42 also carries an insulating stud 45 adapted to control the circuit through a circuit breaker composed of contact springs 46 and 47. A spring 48 attached to the lever 42 and the frame serves to keep the armature 1( end of the lever 42 elevated, unless the magnet 40 is energized, at which time the magnetic attraction overcomes the spring tension and the armature end of the lever 42 is lowered-and the opposite end thereof raised. In its normal position the lug allows the contact springs 46 and 4:7 to touch each other; but when the armature 11 is attracted the lug 45 separates the springs as and 17.

The pawl 13, 1 k or 15" when depressedby a coin resting on its respective lever acts as a holding pawl for the ratchet wheel 20 by interlockin with one of the teeth 22. The downward?movement of one of the levers 8, 9 or 10 caused by depositing the coin moves the bell crank lever 30 through the agency of pin 32. This movement continues until the respective pawl 13, 14 or 15 strikes the ratchet wheel 20 in which position the contact 33 on the lever 30 is moved to make contact with the button The ins 31 and 32 are so placed relative to the i evers 8, 9 and 10 that the slight movement of these levers caused by the pawl 13, 1 t or 15 riding over the teeth 22 as the ratchet wheel is revolved by the pawl 4+. does not cause the contacts 33 and 35 to be separated. lVhen, however, the ratchet wheel 20 has been rotated far enough for the coin depressed lever 8, 9 or 10 to fall into the deeper depression behind the tooth 24, the coin depressed lever moves about the shaft 11 sulficiently to release the coin and to move the contact 33 to the dead button 36. The contact 33 on the bell crank lever 30 is connected to the telephone line B and the button 35 is connected to the contact spring 46 of'the circuit breaker by means of the conductor 37. The other spring 47 is connected to the magnet 40 by means of the conductor 38. The other terminal of the coil ofxmagnet 40 is grounded at 39.

The telephone line B connects the subscribers station A to the central office C. being fastened to a terminal spring 50 of asring jack 51. The sleeve of the spring jacr is grounded as shown.

The apparatus at the central station C consists, in addition to the apparatus shown, of speech receiving and transmitting means and a plug for connecting to the called line. These elements are well known in the art and. are omitted for the sake of clearness. The sleeve strand 52 of a plug 53 is connected by a conductor 54 to a relay 55 and thence by conductor 56 to ground through battery 57. A key 58 is provided to connect one of the other strands of the plug cord, as for example, the tip strand 5!), through conductor to relay 66 and thence by means of conductor 67 to a rounded source of energy 68. A generator is shown in the accom anying circuit, but it should be understoo that a battery may be used with equally good results.

A" ratchet wheel 70 having a series of teeth 71, a long tooth 72 and a cut away portion 73 is located on a shaft 74. A lever 75 carrying an armature 76 of the electromagnet 66 is pivoted at 77. The lever 75 is likewise provided with a retractile spring 78 which keeps the armature end of the lever 75 elevated. The spring is, however. unable to overcome the attraction of the magnet 0 when the latter is energized in which case the armature end of the lever 75 is depressed. On the other end opposite the armature the lever 75 carries a stepping pawl 80 pivoted to the lever 75 at 81 and provided with a. spring 82 tending to keep said awl in contact with the ratchet wheel 70. he ratchet wheel 70 is provided with a second ratchet wheel 83 connected thereto and a spring 84 which tends to restore the ratchet wheels to their normal position after they have been displaced.

The relay 55 is provided with a lever 85 pivoted at 86. An armature 87 of the electromagnet 55 is carried by the lever 85 and a spring 88 opposes the attractive force of the magnet 55 upon the armature 87. On the free end thereof lever 85 carries a pawl 90 which is ivotcd to the said lever at 91 and provide with a spring 92 adapted to hold the pawl 90 in alinement with the lever 85. Conductor 95 connects the ratchet wheel 70 to one terminal of a battery 96; the other terminal of which is connected by means of conductors 97, 98, 99 and 100 to signal lamps 101, 102 and 103 which designate the denominations of the coins collected. The other terminals of the lamps are connected by conductors 104, 105 and 106 to contact brushes 107, 108 and 109 respectively. The brushes 107, 108 and 109 are positioned to normally lie above the cut away portion 73 of the wheel 70; however, when the ratchet wheel 70 is rotated in the direction of the arrow, the brushes 107, 108 and 109 successively make contact with the lon tooth 72,-thus completing a circuit for their respective signal lamp.

VVhen a coin is deposited in one of the coin chutes as, for example, 5, it is temporarily held between the lever 8 and the pin 12. The weight of the coin depresses the lever 8 about its axis 11, causing the pawl 13 to enga e the ratchet wheel 20 and the bell crank lever 30 to move the contact 33 to button 35.

\Vith the plug 53 inserted in the spring ack 51, a circuit is completed from ground at the sleeve of the spring jack 51, spring 52 of the plug 58, conductor 54, coil of the holdin relay 55, conductor 56, to battery 57 and ground. The armature 87 is attracted, causing the lever 85 to rotate about its pivot 86 until the holding pawl 90 enages the teeth of the holding ratchet 83.-

he operator desiring to deposit the coin presses the key 58 causing a circuit to be completed .fromgr'ounded source of current 68, conductor 67, winding of stepping relay 66, conductor 65, key 58, conductor 59, tip of plug 53, jack spring 50, line B, arm-of bell crank lever 30, contacts 33 and 35, conductorq37, springs 46 and 47 conductor 38, coil of magnet 40 to groun at 39. Both electromagnets 40 and 66 attract their armatures. The movement of armature 41 causes the steppin pawl 44 to engage one of the teeth 23 of t e ratchet wheel 20, caus ing it to be rotated in the direction of the arrow. The lug 45 likewise moves to open the circuit at the springs 46 and 47 of the circuit breaker. The attraction of armature 76 causes the pawl 80 to advance the contact and ratchet wheels and 83; the brush 107 thereupon contacts with the tooth 72 completing a circuit for the signal lamp 101 through conductors 95, 97, 9S and 104.

The breaking of the circuit at the springs 46 and 47 causes both the magnets 40 and 66 to become deenergized. The deenergization of the former allows the spring 48, to return the pawl 44 to normal osition. The ratchet wheel 20 is, however, ield in its advanced osition by the pawl 13 enga ing one of the teeth 22. The wheel 70 is ikewise held in its advanced action of the holdin ratchet wheel 83. T e deiiner ization of ma et 40 likewise restores t e contact springs 46 and 47 so that the energizing circuit is again completed. The armatures 41 and 76 are again attracted advancing both wheels 20 and 70 a second time. The advancement of the latter causes brush 108 to also contact with tooth 72, lightin the osition by the paw 90 upon the second lamp 102. The pawl 13 is now in the second tooth 22. The second attraction of armature 41 again breaks the contact between sprin s 46 and 47, allowing the armatures 41 an 76 to resume their normal positions. The return of armature 41 causes the circuit to be again closed at springs 46 and 47 and the pawls 44 and 80 advance the wheels 20 and 70 a third time. Durin this advance of the wheel 20, the pawl 13 rops into the deeper depression 24 with the result that the contact 33 is moved over to the dead button 36, permanently opening the circuit and the coin is release to pass into the cash box. The third advance of wheel 70 causes brush 109 to make contact with tooth 72, li hting the third lamp 103.

f a coin had been deposited in chute 6, only two steps would have been taken by the wheels 20 and 70 since the awl 14 is one tooth behind awl 18, whici would have dropped into t e deeper depression 24 one ste sooner. In consequence, ligiits would have been lighted, viz: 101 and 102. A coin deposited in chute 7 would allow the mechanism to take only one step before breaking the circuit by means of only two moving the button 33 to the dead point 36 and only one signal, viz: 101 would be lighted.

The wheel 70 may be provided with a series of insulated segments in place of the tooth 72, in which case by providing differ ent colored lamps a distinct si nal may be secured by thelighting of on y one lamp for whatever denomination of coin is deposited.

The release of the coin allows the lever 8 to return to its normal elevated position through the action of its spring, moving the contact 33 to the button 34, and releasing the ratchet 20 to be returned by the spring 25. The withdrawal of the plug 53 from the spring jack 51 deenergizes the magnet 55, releasing the holding pawl 90 and thus allowing the spring 84 to return the wheels 70 and 83 to their normal positions.

I claim:

1. In combination, a telephone line circuit extending between a central station and a substation, a source of current therefor. a coin-collecting device at said substation, a plurality of coin chutes in said device for receiving dili'erent sized coins, synchronously operated means at the two stations for indicatin the size of coin inserted, and means indivi ual to each of said coin chutes and having common control of the coin indicating means at said substation.

2. In combination, a telephone line circuit extending between two stations, a source of current therefor, a coin-collecting device at one of said stations, a plurality of coin chutes in said device for receiving different sized coins, synchronously operated electromagnetic mcans at the two stations for indicatin the size of coin inserted, and means individual to each of said coin chutes and controlled by the inserted coin for controlling the operation of said synchronously operating electromagnetic means.

3. In combination, a telephone line circuit extendingqbetween two stations, a source of current t erefor, a circuit breaker in said line circuit, an electromagnetically actuated interrupter also in said line circuit, individual coin-operated devices for closing said circuit breaker and controlling the operation of said interru ter, an electromagnetic stepping device at t 1e other station connected to said line and responsive to the interruptions caused by said interrupter, and a plurality of signals controlled by said stepping device.

4. In combination, a telephone line extending between two stations, a source of current therefor. a registering device at one of said stations, a mechanism at the other station for controlling said registering device, said mechanism being controlled in common by the several sizes of coins, and means individual to each size of coins for actuating said-mechanism whereby'said reg ist'ering device operates a signal' peculiar to each size of coins.v

ateleplwnesvstem the combination of 'a telephoneline extendin between two stations; :rsonrce of current t meter; a coin collectingmechanism at one of the stations comprising a coin*cliute,-a lever extending therein to arrest a coin and to be. actuated thereby, a switch in the line circuit, a ratchet wheel coo )eratingwith said lever to actuate said switc 1, a stepping device therefor, and a. circuit 'ln'eakeractuated by said stepping done"; and a responsive. signal controlling device at the other stations.

(3. In combination. a telephone line extending between two stations. a source of current therefor, a coin collecting mechanism at one of the stations comprising a ratchet wheel, an electromagnetic device in the line for actuating said ratchet, a circuit breaker actuated by said electromagnetic device to send a series of impulses over the lines, a plurality of coin chutes, levers extending therein to arrest a coin and be actuated thereby and to 00%) ierate with said ratchet to release a deposited coin, and a switch operated by said levers to control the oontinuancy of said line circuit to limit the number of impulses caused by said circuit breaker; a device at the other station responsive to the-interruptions ofthe circuitcaused bysaid circuit breaker and signals controlled thereby. f I

'7.--':In' combination'ya telephone line extending between two stations; a source of current therefor; a coin collecting mechanism at one of the stations comprising a plurality of coin chutes, coin actuated levers extending thereima switch actuated by said levers to controlfthe continuancy of saidline, an'ielectromagnet in said line, a steppingdevice'actuated thereby, a ratchet wheel rotated by said stepping device and cooperating with said levers to actuate said switch, and a circuit breaker operated by said electromagnet to open and close said line at each step; manual means at the other station r'or opening and closing said line; and a signaling meal anism comprising an ehwtromagnet in the line and controlled by the interruptions of current caused by said circuit breaker at the first station, a contact wheel actuatedthereby, and signals controlled by said contact wheel.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 4th day of November, A. 1)., 1912.

FRANK LUNDQUIST.

W itncsses Gannon E. FOLK, McC-LfinLA so YoUN e.

Oopieu of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patent/1 Washington, D. O." 

